Semiautomatic plate-finishing machine



June 9, 1925.

. 1,541,568 C. E. HOPKINS SENIAUTOMATIC PLATE FINISHING MACHINE OriginalFiled Dec. 11, 1916 3 Sheets-Sheet. 1

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C. E. HOPKINS SEMIAUTOMATIC PLATE FINISHING MACHINE Original Filed Dec.11,- 1916 3 Shegts-Sheen -2 l um/Mo;

June 9, 1925.

7 1,541,568 c E, HOPKINS SEMIAUTOMATIC PLATE FINISHING MACHINEJilillllllllllllll lllllill'l'illlllhlil'HHEH! v smx Original Filed Dec.11, 1916 3 Sheets-Sheet s flzarlea Patented Jane 9, 1925,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHAIR-LES E. HOPKINS, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY; THE PLAINFIELD TRUSTCOM- PANY ADMINISTRATORDF SAID CHARLES E. HOPKINS, DECEASED.

'SEMIAUTQMATIC PLATE-FINISHING MACHINE.

Original application filed December 11, 1916, Serial No. 136,191.Divided and this application filed September 26, 1922. Serial No.5903307.

1 0 all to 710% it may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. HoPKINs, acitizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Plainfield, in the county ofUnion and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and use ful ImprovedSemiau'tomatic Plate-Finishing Machine of which the following is aspecification. This is a division of Patent No. 1,483,549, granted'Oct.31, 1922, on an application originally filed Dec. 11,1916, Serial No.136,191.

This invention relates to'the finishing of stereotype plates for use inprinting machines. The principal object of it is to provide a finishingmachine of a simple and extremely reliable construction especiallydesigned for newspaper "plants having small circulation that do notrequire a full automatic machine. I

This machine is designed to be operated by one man. The mechanism isarranged so that the operator can stand at the side of the machine tocontrol the casting of the plate and inspect the plate, thereafter push'the plate over guideways and align it with the finishing tools, andthen start-the finishing mechanism, after, the completion of which theoperator draws the finished 'plate back over the guideways and removesit from the machine by hand.

The right end portion of the core in my said patent is provided withprojecting ledges at its straight sides for forming c0- acting recessesand in this case stopsare located in the guideways for engagin in theserecesses, and for positioning the plates relative to the finishing toolswhen the plate is removed from the core.

Reference is to be had to the accompany.

ing drawings which show a preferred form of this invention and in whichFig. l is a plan of a complete finishing machine Fig. 2 is a plan of themachine with the finishing arch and gear covers removed to show themechanism below; I

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the machine showing the finishingmechanism partly in section to illustrate the interior thereof;

Fig. 4: is a front end view of the machine; F1g.'5 18 a face view of thecam for controlling the periodic stopping of the finishing mechanismFig. 6 is a bottom plan view thercof,. and

Fig. 7 is an end view of the same.

The machine is shown supported between side frames A and B, and crossframes C and D.

The operator pushes the cast plate along the frame toward and ontot'heguideways '62 and 62 and into position to be finished.

Positioning the cast plate P longitudinally with respect to thefinishing tools is done by forming recesses in the straight sides ofeach cast plate and locating corresponding stops. When the curved plateis pushed along the guideways 62-62 the recesses engage against stops64, fast on the guideways which position the plate longitudinally withrespect to the finishing tools.

Finishing. v

The means shown for finishing the stereotype plate, 'by' separating theriser from the type face portion of the'cas't, beveling the of arevolving shaving knife and a beveling tool located upon the knifecarrier,-'and a cir- 'cular saw fast on a spindle which operates inbearings formed at one side of'the'kni'fe carrier. V I

The rotary shaving knife carrier 70 is mounted in "bearings formed ontop of cross frames C and D (see Fig. 2). The usual shaving knife 71 isattached to anextension of the carrier 70. The knife is of a lengthsufficient to engage all the ribs cast within the pl'ates concavity. Atthe forward end of the shaving knife is fixed a beveling tool 72.Oppositethisbevcling tool is located the circular saw 73, which is faston the forward end of a saw Spindle 74, which operates in bearingsformed in the knife carrier. This saw is causedto revolve at a high rateof speed by a pinion 75 fast on the opposite end of the saw spindle. Thepinion 75 meshes with an intermediate gear 76 mounted loosely on ahearing formed on the knife carrier. These two gears are driven througha large gear 77, fast on one end of a shaft T8 operating in bearings inthe cross frames C and D. To the opposite end is made fast a beveledgear 79 which meshes with alike gear 80, fast on the driving shaft 81.

To the forward end of the knife carrier is fast a worm gear 82 which isintermittently driven by a worm 83 loose on the driving shaft 81.

In operation the saw revolves continuously at a high rate of speed,while the knife carrier makes but one revolution for each cycle ofoperations.

The cast plate is held in axial alignment with the knife carrier by anarch 90, whose concavity is of the same radius as the curved plate to befinished. Topermit the entrance of the plate within the arch one of theguideways 62 is made movable vertically. This movement of the guideway62 is accomplished by a lifting mechanism consisting of two rock arms 91fast one on each rock shaft 92. The loose ends of the rock arms carry aconnecting bar 93 which operates along a surface formed on the underside of the guideway 62.

This guideway 62 operates in guides fast on the inner faces of the crossframes C and D. When a plate is positioned on the guideways 62 and 62and against the stops 6 1, the operator lifts up on arock lever 94Luntil the rock arms 91 are vertical, which causes the guideway 62 toraise that side of the cast plate up into finishing position within thearch 90.

As the cast plate may vary in circumference, owing to shrinkage orvarying thickness in the matrix used, spring actuated plungers arelocated in recesses formed in the rock arms 91 beneath the bar 93 andthe pivot bearings of the said bar are somewhat elongated to permit ofthe slight vertical. operation necessary.

Hand operated means for starting and automatic means for thereafterstopping after each cycle of operations are provided and include asliding clutch jaw 100, mounted on the driving shaft 81. This clutch jawis located so it will engage in corresponding jaws formed on one end ofthe worm 83. hen the machine stops after completing a cycle ofoperations, the sliding jaw 100 is held out of engagement against thepressure of a spring 101 also mounted on the driving shaft by ananti-friction roller located in a channel in the slide jaw, and mountedon the loose end of a rock arm 102, which is pivoted on the cross frameC. This rock arm carries one end of a square sliding rod 103.,providedwith a right angular extension 104:, which, when the machine is stoppedengages against a lug 105 formed on a cam plate 106 fast on the innerface of the worm gear 82.

The act of lifting the guidcway through the rock handle 9-1:, to clampthe plate up in the arch, swings a rock arm 10? fast on the shaft 02 towhich the handle is fixed. The loose end of the rock arm 107 engagesagainst a collar 108 fast on the slide rod 103, and advances the same sothat its right angular extension 10 1 moves out of engagement under thelug 105, on the cam plate 100. This frees the rock lever 102 and permitsthe spring 101 to advance the sliding jaw 100 into engagement with thejaws on the worm 88, whereupon the worm commences to revolve with thedriving shaft-and carries the worm gear through one revolution. Near theend of the revolution the slide rod extension 10 1 is engaged by a bevelcamway 109, formed in front of the stop lug 105 on the cam plate 106 andis pushed backwards and in front of the advancing lug 105, which lugforces the clutch jaws out of engagement whereupon the cycle ofoperation ceases.

In operation the saw first engages the plate in the operation ofseparating the riser from the type face portion of the cast plate. Indoing this the saw cuts a groove. As the saw nears the end of itsoperation the shaving knife commences its operation of smoothing off theinterior ribs, thereby making the plate the proper thickness.

Simultaneously with the commencement of the shaving operation thebeveling tool enters the saw cut and starts the operation of bevelingthat end of the type face portion of the plate to the required angle.

Although I have illustrated and described only one form of theinvention, I am aware of the fact that modifications can be made thereinby any person skilled in the art without de iiarting from the scope ofthe invention as expressed in the claims. Thercfore, I do not wish to belimited to all the details of construction herein shown and described,but what I do claim is 1. In a curved stereotype plate finishingapparatus, the combination with a shaving arch, of a stationary guidewayarranged on one side of said arch, a movable guideway for the edge ofthe plate arranged along the other side of the arch, a pair of rock armsarranged to move with a parallel motion under the movable guideway, abar connecting the ends of said rock arms and movable with them, themovable guideway resting on said bar and being arranged to move up anddown therewith.

2. In a curved stereotype plate finishing ap i aratus, the combinationwith a shaving arch, of a stationary guideway arranged on one side ofsaid arch, a vertically movable guideway for the edge of the platearranged along the other side of the arch, a horizontal bar ovableupwardly and 1 ongitud-inar1 on which the movable fdeaavy' rests a moveup and down there i'th for clam-ping the plate in the arclnand means formoving the bar upwardly with a pa allel motion.

3. In astereotype plate finishing apparatus, the c'ombinationof an arch,finishing tools operative beneath the arch, guideways over which astereotype plate can be moved beneath the arch, stops for engagingdepressions cast in the plate, a mechanism for moving the finishingtools to engage the plate when positioned beneath the arch, and meansfor clamping the said plate up in the arch and starting the finishingtools through their cycle of operation and thereafter stopping upon thecompletion of their cycle.

at. In a stereotype plate finishing apparatus, the combination of aplate supporting arch, revolving finishing tools, a guideway at eachside of the tools upon which a cast plate can rest, a driving mechanismfor the tools, a clutch for connecting the tools with the driving means,and means for raising a guideway to clamp 21- plate into the dome of thearch and close the clutch during a cycle of operations.

5. In a stereotype plate finishing apparatus, the combination of a platesupporting arch, a shaft beneath the arch carrying finishing tools, adriving shaft, a clutch on the driving shaft, a spring for holding theclutch normally in, a cam movable with the finishing tool shaft, a rockarm having a roller thereon for engaging the clutch and holding it outof active position against the action of the spring when the machine isstopped, said cam having means for pushing the rock arm back at thattime and holding it in that position, and means whereby when a plate isclamped in the arch the rock arm will be released from the cam, and thespring will throw in the clutch to start the machine.

6. In a stereotype plate finishing apparatus, the combination of a platesupporting arch, a shaft carrying finishing tools, a driving shaft, aclutch on the driving shaft, a spring for holding the clutch normallyclosed, a rock arm having a roller thereon for engaging the clutch andholding it out of active position against the action of the spring whenthe machine is stopped, a cam rotatable with the finishing tool shaftand constituting means for pushing the rock arm back at that time andholding it in that position, manually operated means for clamping aplate in the arch, and means whereby when a plate is clamped in the archthe rock arm will be automatically released from the cam to throw in theclutch and start the machine.

7 In a stereotype plate finishing apparatus, the combination with anarch and a finishing tool shaft concent c t e efinishing tool shaft,aspring for normally closing the clutch, a rock arm having means foroperating the clutch, a" cam rotatable w'i'tlithe' finisliing tool shaftand adapted to swing the rock arm back so" a's to hold'the clutch outwhen the machine is stopped, a pair of guides under the arch for thestraight edges of the plate, one of said guides being movable, meansconnected with the movable guide for lifting it and clamping the platein the arch, and means whereby when said means is'operated to clamp theplate the rock arm will be freed from the cam and the clutch will beallowed to close to start the machine. automatically.

8. In a stereotype plate finishing apparatus, the combination with anarch and a finishing tool shaft concentric therewith, of a drivingshaft, a clutch for connecting the driving shaft to rotate the finishingtool shaft, a spring for normally closing the clutch, said clutch havinga circumferential channel, a rock arm having a roll engaging in saidchannel, a cam rotatable with the finishing tool shaft and adapted toswing the rock arm back so as to hold the clutch out when the machine isstopped, a pair of guides under the arch for the straight edges of theplate, one of said guides being movable, a pair of parallel rock shaftshaving parallel arms connected with the movable guide for lifting it andclamping the plate in the arch, and means whereby when said rock shaftsare turned to clamp the plate the rock arm will be freed from the camand the clutch will be allowed to close, a bar connecting the parallelarms on which the movable guide rests, a slide rod carried by said barat one end and supported at the other end by the rock arm and having aprojection on the end for engaging the cam and operating the rock arm.

9. In a curved stereotype plate finishing apparatus, the combinationwith a shaving arch, of a stationary guideway and a movable guideway forthe edges of the plate arranged along the sides of the arch, a pair ofrock arms arranged to move with a parallel motion under the movableguideway, a bar connecting the ends of said rock arms and movable withthem, the movable guideway resting on said bar and being arranged tomove up and down therewith, each of said rock arms having a springpressed plunger and the bar having elongated bearings for receiving theends of said plungers to support the edge of the plate yieldingly andcompensate for plates or matrices of varying thicknesses.

10. In a curved stereotype plate finishing apparatus, the combinationwith a shaving arch, of a stationary guideway and a m0V able guidewayfor the edges of the plate arranged along the sides of the arch, a pairof rock arms arranged to move under the movable guideway, the movableguideway being arranged to move up and down therewith, each of said rockarms having a spring pressed plunger, and the bar having bearings forreceiving the ends of said plungersto support the edge of the plateyieldingly and compensate for plates or matrices of varying thicknesses.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

CHARLES E. HOPKINS.

